Maybe I'm a bit off here but some of my recent trades have me scratching my head. One trade came in a PWE, Penny Sleeve and Top Loader. Not bad but the card slid out of the Penny Sleeve & Top Loader resulting in some damage.(Corner Ding) A second trade came in a 3 1/2 Disc Mailer (non-padded), one penny sleeve for 2 cards both shoved into a single Top Loader then taped shut. One of the two cards was damaged. (Corner Ding)
Not sure if the cards had damage prior to being mailed out but the end result was not good. Trying to stay positive about trading on here but wanted to get some feedback from the trading community. Suggestions?
Sorry for the long rant............
P.S. Below is the ONLY way I package out my trades.

I'm new to this site, but when I have sent out cards I like to use the stuff you show above and then I use 2 pieces of cardboard for extra support on either side of the cards. I've received cards from other sites with similar packaging to what you are talking about. Once I got a card that was in a penny sleeve, top loader, then the top loader had tape on the top, so the card slipped out of the penny sleeve and got stuck to the tape on the top of the top loader. no major damage, just annoying.

One thing that I appreciate is when people make little folded "flaps" on the tape they use to seal toploaders (or team bags, or whatever). I hate it when the contents of a package are secured with multiple pieces of ironclad tape. I always try to fold the ends to create a flap, so that the tape is easy to remove. -And it won't ruin the toploader.

The one thing that drives me crazy is trying to pry apart a brick of cards held together by packaging tape and not trying to bend the cards in the process. It makes me want to mail a roll of masking tape out so they will use it

I don't like tape over the top of top loaders. It usually ruins the top loader and has a chance of the card getting stuck to it.

I put the best card in a penny sleeve and top loader. If there are 2 I use them as the bread of a sandwich. I have put 2 cards, especially if minis, per top loader. Most of the time I will include some free cards or lower base that is part of the trade. I put those in a vintage thick penny sleeve that holds 10-20 cards. If I put tape over the top, I put another piece with the sticky sides facing each other so the cards don't stick to it and I fold the ends so it can be pealed off easy. Most times I don't use tape. I wrap 2 top loaders, with the thick penny sleeve in the middle, in 1 layer of bubble wrap. Cutting one of the bubble wrap squares in half is about the right size. I pop the top and bottom rows that stick out over the card, fold them to the middle and tape it. I put either cardboard or dummy spacers on both sides then I put all of that in a bubble mailer. I used to put a few packing peanuts in the bottom and top since I got envelopes that are a little bigger to accommodate bigger trades, but recently I started crumpling up free McDonald's napkins instead.

I have usually gotten cards in at least a bubble envelope. Tape over the top is common. I like it when the type of tape is easy to remove (paper tape), has corners folded, or anything extra the sender does, but if not I just use the sticky top loaders as protection on the outside of my next trade.

I do not care what the top loader ends up looking like when i receive it; I can buy them very cheaply--and so can everyone else. What I want more is insurance. I do not care if you throw the card at my mailbox, as long as have insurance and can pay me for it when there is damage. I had one person send me 200+ cards without insurance, and this individual told me I was out of luck when they arrived damaged and I asked for compensation. Leaving negative feedback did not get me my cards. I insure everything and wish everyone else did, too.

I have found that painter's tape works great. I put card in penny sleeve, in a top load, tape over open end of top load, put in a team bag and in a mailer. I have never had a shipping problem. The painter's tape does no harm to the card and removes very easy from top load. I have gotten packages with a ton of crap tape outside and on top load inside of mailer. The tape does not stop card from moving if it isn't packaged real well.

(09-29-2012 04:37 PM)jonathani Wrote: I do not care what the top loader ends up looking like when i receive it; I can buy them very cheaply--and so can everyone else. What I want more is insurance. I do not care if you throw the card at my mailbox, as long as have insurance and can pay me for it when there is damage. I had one person send me 200+ cards without insurance, and this individual told me I was out of luck when they arrived damaged and I asked for compensation. Leaving negative feedback did not get me my cards. I insure everything and wish everyone else did, too.

JonathanI

Personally, I usually purchase insurance only if it's a big trade ($150+). And that's mostly to protect myself from someone saying the card didn't arrive, etc. I pack my cards pretty well, so I can't imagine them becoming damaged unless someone was hell-bent on destroying the package.

(09-29-2012 05:23 PM)skywalkb Wrote: I have found that painter's tape works great.

I agree that painters tape is the best tape to use for shipping cards. The 3M tape # 2070 or 2080 doesn't do any damage & comes right off with no residue. Price is a lot higher though compared to conventional masking or scotch tape.